Date: 8/8/26 7:03 am From: Douglas Vogus <vogeye...> Subject: [Ohio-birds] Cuyahoga Valley Towpath Census 08/2026
AUGUST 07, 2026 - CUYAHOGA VALLEY MONTHLY TOWPATH TRAIL CENSUS. ROUTE: Merriman Valley north to Red Lock Trailhead with a stop at Szalay's Farm & Market for lunch and Trail Mix in Boston for cold drinks. TIME: 6:30am - 5:00pm TIME AFIELD: 10:30 TEMP.: 69F ~ 83F ~ 82F COND.: Overcast with a thunderstorm at start, turning heavy to where we had to take shelter under the the sewer line tunnel at the Smith Rd. roundabout; rain easing up but still steady to the Akron Compost Facility; rain turning lighter all the way to Ira Rd. - rain finally ending at 9:10am; turning partly sunny and humid, then cloudy and warmer; a brief sprinkle from 12:40pm - 12:50pm; cloudy, warm and humid for rest of the census with slight (none too frequent) breezes from the north. TRAIL COND.: Wet, puddled, and soupy from the rain, rutted in the softer sections from bike traffic. RIVER COND.: Like a river of chocolate milk - high, swift and muddy from the rain - few rockbars or sandbars. FT. MI.: 14.30 OBS.: John Henry and Douglas W. Vogus.
I. MAMMALS: 8 SPECIES, 32 TOTAL.
1. Eastern Cottontail - 8 (1 bunny) 2. Eastern Chipmunk - 14 3. Woodchuck - 2 4. Eastern Gray Squirrel - 1 5. Red Squirrel - 4 6. Common Muskrat - 1 (kit) (Fourth August Record on Census) 7. Coyote - 1 (Second August Record on Census) 8. Common Raccoon - 1 (Second August Record on Census)
II. BIRDS: 56 SPECIES, (AVG.: 62.1), 489 TOTAL (AVG.: 839.6). *(Lowest total birds for August to date - was 507 in 2020)* (NOTE: m = male; f = female; ? = bird was seen but not sexed; * = bird was heard calling but not sexed)
??. Unidentified Passerines - 6 (four being distant swallows)
III. REPTILES: 5 SPECIES, 162 TOTAL.
1. Common Snapping Turtle - 12 (two young ones saved from being flattened on the trail) 2. Red-eared Turtle - 4 3. Midland Painted Turtle - 138 4. Eastern Spiny Softshell - 6 5. Eastern Garter Snake - 2 (one trying to consume an American Toad - Fifth August Record on Census)
IV. AMPHIBIANS: 3 SPECIES, 19 TOTAL.
1. American Toad - 2 (one with one leg already down an Eastern Garter Snake's throat) 2. American Bullfrog - 3 (1 heard) 3. Green Frog - 14 (10 heard)
V. FISHES: 4 SPECIES, 52 TOTAL.
1. Central Mudminnow - 2 2. Golden Shiner - 37 (Fourth August Record on Census) 3. Bluntnose Minnow - 12 4. Bluegill - 1
VI. BUTTERFLIES: 9 SPECIES, 60 TOTAL.
1. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail - 16 2. Cabbage White - 13 3. Clouded Sulphur - 3 4. Summer Azure - 7 5. Pearl Crescent - 3 6. Monarch - 3 7. Silver-spotted Skipper - 4 8. Least Skipper - 6 9. Zabulon Skipper - 5 (Fourth August Record on Census)
VII. MOTHS/CATERPILLARS: 11 SPECIES, 46 TOTAL.
1. Drab Prominent - 1 (Second Record on Census, First August Record on Census & Tied Census High from 06/2025) 2. Shy Cosmet Moth - 1 (New Species on Census - currently at 65 Moth/Caterpillar Species since 01/2010) 3. Catalpa Sphinx - 3 (caterpillars only) (New Species on Census - currently at 66 Moth/Caterpillar Species since 01/2010) 4. Faint-spotted Palthis Moth - 1 (New Species on Census - currently at 67 Moth/Caterpillar Species since 01/2010) 5. Eastern Tent Caterpillar - 30 (caterpillars only) (New Species on Census - currently at 68 Moth/Caterpillar Species since 01/2010) 6. Buttonbush Owlet - 1 (New Species on Census - currently at 69 Moth/Caterpillar Species since 01/2010) 7. Grayish Zanclognatha - 1 (Second Record on Census & First August Record on Census) 8. Hickory Tussock Moth - 1 (caterpillar only) (Second Record on Census, First August Record on Census & Tied Census High from 10/2023) 9. Sycamore Tussock Moth - 4 (caterpillars only) (Third Record on Census, Third August Record on Census & New Census High - previous was 2 on 08/2025) 10. Walnut Caterpillar Moth - 2 (caterpillars only) (New Species on Census - currently at 70 Moth/Caterpillar Species since 01/2010) 11. Luna Moth - 1 (New Species on Census - currently at 71 Moth/Caterpillar Species since 01/2010)
VIII. DRAGONFLIES & DAMSELFLIES: 9 SPECIES, 83 TOTAL.
1. Common Green Darner - 4 2. Eastern Pondhawk - 1 3. Slaty Skimmer - 2 4. Widow Skimmer - 3 5. Blue Dasher - 33 6. Ruby Meadowhawk - 2 (Fourth August Record on Census) 7. Ebony Jewelwing - 3 8. Blue-fronted Dancer - 9 9. Blue-tipped Dancer - 26
Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.
You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: <listowner...>
